Resiliently mounted bearing



April 6, 1948. J. E. SHAFER RESILIENTLY MOUNTED BEARING Filed Feb. 23, 1945 vided with a fantail end having Patented Apr. 6, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE nnsnlmnru MOUNTED ammo Julius E Sharer, Chicago, 111. Application February 23, 1945', Serial M57934!) This invention relates to mountings for bearings and the like wherein resiliently deformable bushings are utilized for accommodating relative movements between the parts.

Specifically, this invention deals with selfaligning bearings mounted in rubber bushings for eliminating heretofore required finish ground bearing walls to accommodate the self-aligning movements of the bearings.

This invention will hereinafter be specifically described as embodied in a pillow block-carried sealed ball bearing unit, but it should be understood that the invention is generally applicable to resiliently mounted self-aligning members.

This invention utilizes rubber as a non-compressible flowable material which will flow from a region of high pressure to any available region of low. pressure until forces are equalized by elastic stresses set up in the material.

In accordance with this invention the flow of i rubber is regulated and confined forurging the position while permitting the bearing from this posibearing into a central tilting movements of tion. The rubber is confined between rigid surfaces but has unconfined edges which can be deformed to accommodate the self-aligning movements.

.Since the major area of the rubber bushing is confined, preferably in a deformed preloaded condition, the rubber has a high form factor making it possible to sublect'the bushing to higher loads without deforming the rubber beyond its elastic limits. The preloading of the rubber. bushing will eliminate a mushy, soft mounting for the bearing.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the rubber bushing is composed of two segmental rings, the pillow block is composed of a base and a yoke or strap cooperating therewith to form a circular transversely concave inner mounting wall, and the hearing has a circular transversely convex mounting wall. Eacnof the rubberrings, in its free state, is narrower than the mounting walls of the pillow block and bearing and is crowned to have a thick central portion. In addition, each rubber ring is preferably proa reduced crown so that the ends of the ring are wider but thinner than the body'of the ring.

The two rings abut to form a circle with a transversely concave inner wall snugly receiving the outer wall of the bearing unit. The crown of the bushing has a different contour than the mounting wall of the split pillow block, so that the base and yoke of the pillow block must be drawn together for deforming the bushing crown into conformitywith this mounting wall. This deformation of the crown effects a preloadin'g of the bushing and increases the width of the bushing to the width of the mounting walls.

' y 7 Claims. (Cl. 308-184) The preloaded bushing is confined except at the edges thereof and the load on the fantail ends of the bushing rings is the same as the load on the main body of the bushing .because the thinner ends are wider to supply the same amount of rubber as the crown. The flattened crown permits the rings to fit further into the pillow block base and yoke. The increased width of the fantail ends compensates for the decreased thickness of these ends so that the deformed preloaded bushing will have a uniform width.

The outer race ring of the bearing and the inner mounting wall 01' the pillow block are arcs of a circle struck from the. same center. The rubber bushing interposed between the wall surfaces is deformable and, since it is shaped to be uniformly loaded, the bearing will be carried for tilting movement about the same center as the radii of the race ring and pillow block. The hearing is therefore self-aligning but the rubber bushing tends to urge the bearing back to its original position.

It is, then, an object of this invention to provide a resiliently mounted self-aligning bearing assembly.

A further object of the invention is to provide a preloaded rubber-hushed bearing construction which will withstand heavy loads without detericrating and will automatically center the bearing while accommodati g limited tilting movements thereof.

A further object is to provide a pillow blockcarried sealed bearing assembly with rubber bushings so shaped. in their free state, as to center the bearing in the pillow block when they are deformed to produce a. preloaded resilient mounting with a high form factor.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a. split pillow block and bearing unit assembly with 'a rubber bushing that eliminates the necessity for finlsh grlndlng the bearingcarrying wall of the pillow block without interfering. with the self-aligning properties of the pillow block.

45 I A specific object of this invention is to provide rubber bushings for pillow blocks, and to so shape these bushings that bearings carried thereby in the pillow blocks will tilt about a predetermined center point without the necessity for finish- 50 grinding the bearing-carrying wall of thepillow block.

Other and further objects of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the annexed 55 sheet of drawings which, by way of preferred example, illustrates one embodiment of the in vention.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view 60 pillow block and sealed bearing unit of a split equipped with parts in with a rubber bushing according to this invention and illustrating the manner in which the rubber bushing, in its free state, holds the two parts of the pillow block in spaced relation.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary transverse cross-sectional view taken along the line 11-11 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 but illustrating the pillow block sections in abutting op-. erative relationship for preloading the rubber bushing.

Figure 4 is a transverse cross-sectional view, elevation. taken along the line IV-IV of Figure 3 and illustrating the preloaded and deformed rubber bushing.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the top half of the pillow block and illustrating, in elevation, the manner in which the rubber bushing fits into the pillow block in its free state.

Figure 6 is an end elevational view of a bushing ring segment according to this invention.

Figure 1 is a somewhat enlarged vertical crosssectional view of the ring segment of Figure 6 and illustrating, in dotted lines, the position assumed by the ring when it is preloaded for use.

As shown on the drawings:

In Figures 1 to 4, the reference numeral Ill designates generally a pillow block carrying a sealed bearing unit H. The pillow block is composed of a base part Illa and a top yoke part lllb.

The bearing unit- II is composed of an inner race ring Ila with a groove around the periphery thereof providing'a raceway and an outer race ring I lb with a groove around the inner periphery thereof providing a raceway. A row of balls I2 is seated in the grooves of the inner and outer race rings Ila and llb and the balls held in spaced relation by a cage l3. Seals S are carried by the race rings on opp site sides of the cage l3 to provide a sealed bearing chamber C.

The base lila of the pillow block has feet, l4 thereon adapted to receive mounting studs (not shown) therethrough for fixedly securing the base in position.

. Studs l5 project upwardly from the top face of the base Illa and the strap or yoke lab has hollow bosses l6 receiving these studs. The upper ends of the studs are threaded and receive nuts ll thereon. The top of the base Illa and the bottom of the yoke llib have mating faces l8 and I9 respectively.

The outer race ring llb of the bearing unit H has a convex transversely arcuate outer wall 20 struck'from a radius R centered at X.

The inner faces of the pillow block base Ilia and yoke Oh have a concave transversely arcuate inner wall 2! struck from a radius R centered on the same center point X as the radius R for the outer wall 20.

The convex wall 20 and the concave wall 2| are thus concentric curved circles with the wall 20 in spaced radial relation from the wall 2|.

In the conventional pillow block and bearing assembly the walls gagement so that the bearing can tilt about the center X. In this construction, however, it is necessary that the walls be finish-ground to provide good bearing surfaces.

In accordance with this invention, a rubber bushing, composed ,of a pair of ring segments 22, is provided between the walls 20 and 2| for resiliently mounting the bearing l l in the pillow block ill. The bushing, as will be hereinafter more fully explained, eliminates the necessity for finishgrinding the walls 20 and 2!, and especially the Wall 2|, without shifting the center for the bear- 20 and 2| are in bearing enwalls 2li,and 2 4 ing l l and without interfering with the self-aligning properties of the bearing.

Each ring segment 22, in its free state as best shown in Figures 2, 6 and 'l, is narrower than the However. the free end portions of the ring segments are fantailed outwardly as at 22a to provide end edges having, the same These fantailedi portions 224: are of reduced thickness for a pur width as the walls 20 and 2|.

pose to be hereinafter described.

As shown in Figure 7, the ring segment 22, in its free state, has a concave transversely arcuate innet wall 22b struck from the sameradius R as the wall 20 of therace ring llb. This wall 22!) thus snugly fits on the wall 20.

The ring segment 22, however. has a convex transversely arcuate outer wall 22c struck from a much shorter radius R" having a center X, different from the center X for the radii R and B. As a result, the ring 22 has a crown providing a thickened portion intermediate the side edges of the ring. This crowned wall 22:; will not mate with the wall 2! of the pillow block but, as shown in Figure 5, in order that the ring segment 22 will fit substantially into thepillow'block, each fantailed end 22a thereof has a somewhat flattened crown 22d. This flattened crown 22d permits the ring segments to extend further into the yoke section lilb of the pillow block and also into the base Illa of the pillow block but end portions of the rings 22 will extend beyond the mating faces l8 and IQ of the pillow block portion as shown in Figure 1.

When the nuts I! are tightened on the studs IE to draw the faces l8 and I9 into the mating positions shown in Figures 3 and 4, the bushing rings 22 are deformed into conformity with the walls 20 and 2|. Thus, as shown in Figure 7, the crowned outer wall 220 is flattened and the ring is increased in width to the dotted line position, As best shown in Figure 4, the bushing 22 is confined except at its edge faces which are extended flush with the faces of the pillow block and bearing ring. Since the crown of the outer wall 220 is flattened into conformity with the wall 2| of the pillow block, the extended end 220 of the ring segments 22 are automatically drawn into flush relationship with the mating faces, l8 and iii of the pillow block portion. The fantail ends 2241, being thinner than the remaining portions of the ring segments, are merely deformed to have straight end edges. The relationship of the increased width provided by the fantailed ends and the decreased thickness of these ends is such that the loaded bushing will have a uniform width and a uniform stress around its entire circumference.

The preloaded bushing, being confined by the walls 20 and 2| except at the narrow end edges thereof, will have a high form factor since 'the unconfined areas are relatively small as compared with the total surface area of the bushing. The form factor of a rubberbushing is the ratio of the loadedsurfaces to the total surface, and a high form factor is desirable because the bushing will be deformed under load to a much lesser degree than a bushing with a low form factor.

As a result of the uniform loading of the bushing because of the design of the bushing segments, and, as a result of the high form factor-of the loaded bushing, the same tilting center X will be are released, the bearing will automatically return to its initial straight position.

The bearing chamber C containing the ball bearings l2 can receive lubricant from a fitting 23 threaded into the pillow block yoke Illb. A hollow pin 24 is loosely seated in a bore 25 provided in this yoke and extends through the rubber bushing 22 into a dimpleZ'l formed in the race ring llb. A small-diameter bore 28 connects the bot- I tom of the dimple 21 with the chamber 0.

The pin 24 'can wobble in the hole 25 and in the dimple 21 to accommodate the above-described self-aligning movementsof' the hearing I l relative to the pillow block l while maintaining the fitting 23 in communication with the chamber C.

The term rubber is used throughout the specification and in the claims in its broad sense to include synthetic rubbers and resilient deformable plastic materials as well as natural rubher. For grease and oil resistance, synthetic rubbers such as neoprene are desired.

From the above description it should beunderstood that this inventionaprovides a resiliently mounted self-aligning bearing assembly which maintains a predetermined center for the bearing convex outer wall, and a rubber bushing between form having a crowned outer wall with a short radius and a concave inner wall snugly fitting the convex outer wall of the bearingto provide.

a preloaded bushing having a high form factor for resisting further deformationwithout preventing tilting of the bearing.

4. A bushing for resiliently mounting a bearing in a pillowblock which comprises a semicircular ring having an inner concave arcuate wall struck from a long radius and an'outer convex arcuate wall struck from a short radius together with fantail end portions of thinner cross section than the body of the ring segment. 1

5. A bushing for resiliently mounting a bearing in a pillow block to tilt about a fixed center which comprises a pair of rubber rings having concave inner walls struck from long radii and convex outer walls struck from short radii, said rings having fantail end portions of reduced thickness and firmly carries the bearing. The resilient mounting is preloaded and has a high form factor to resist but not prevent deformation beyond the preloaded condition. Since the resilient material is always maintained under compressive load, it

will have a prolonged wear life.

It willfof course, be unders'toodxthat various details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention? 1. The combination with a bearing unit having a convex transversely arcuate outer wall and a housing having a concave transversely arcuate inner wall surrounding the outer wall of the bearing unit and struck from a radius having the same I center as said outer wall of the bearing unit, of a resilient bushing between said walls, said bushing, in its free state being narrower than said walls and having'a crowned outer wall of shorter radius than the radius of said inner wall of the housing.

and said bushing being preloaded into conformity with said outer wall of the bearing and said inner wall of the housing to mount the bearing unit for tilting movement aboutsaid center.

.- p 2.; The combination with a bearing u'nit hav-- ing a convex transversely arcuate outer wall and ags'plit housing with a concave-transverselyxhrcuate inner wall surrounding said outer wall ofthe bearingfof a bushing between said walls com posed of a pair of resilient rubber ring segments,

each ring segment in its free state being narrower 1 than said walls and having a concave inner wall contoured to fit the outer wall of the bearing tosether withv a convex outer wall with an arcuate crown of shorter radius than the radius of the ins ner wall oi the housing, and said ring segments having tantailed abutting end portions with flattened crowns arranged for cooperating with the remaining portion of the ring segments to center the hearing when the crown portions thereof are deformed into conformity with the inner wall of the housing. a

8. A self-aligning bearing assembly comprising a split pillow block having a concave mounting wall. a bearing unit in said pillow block having a in abutting relation and said rings being de-. ,formable into conformity with the outer 'wallof the bearing and the inner wall of the pillow block to uniformly load the rubber while maintaining a fixedcenter of tilt for the bearing.

6. A bearing assembly comprising a pillow block base, a pillow block yoke coacting with said base, 1

said base and yoke cooperating to define a circular concave mounting wall, means for drawing said yoke toward said base to mount the yoke in fixed position on'the base, a bearing unit having an outer race ring with a convex outer wall surrounded by the concave mounting wall of the base and yoke, and a rubber bushing between said concave mounting wall and said convex outer wall of the bearing while spreading the end faces of center only.

the bushingjlaterally; v

'7. The combination with a bearing unit having an outer race ring with acircular convex; outer wall and a pillow blockhaving a circular concave inner mounting wall surrounding said outer wall of the bearing, of a rubber bushing between said walls having in its free state a concave inner sur- 7 face snugly fitting the outer wall of said bearing and a crowned outer wall of short radius providing a thickened central portion, and means for radially loading the bushing while allowing it to spread laterally between said walls for locking the bearing in the pillow block to tilt about a fixed JULIUS E. SHAFER.

nnrnnnncn's crrnn The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

